Walking into the chapel, a line of boys in dark grey slacks and light grey shirts dip their fingers into a bowl of water and make the sign of the cross.

As they sit on wooden pews, a volunteer passes out paper and pencils. The youth are invited to write down the names of the people they've hurt and to pray for them.

"That's where the healing begins," says volunteer Mike Bowler. The names of victims and family members will be put in a wooden box that will be placed on the altar.

Today is a special Sunday morning at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar. About 160 youth --- mostly boys and some girls ages 11 to 17 --- and more than 20 volunteers are celebrating the naming of their faith community as Jesus the Risen Prisoner Catholic Community.

"There's a lot of spirituality in these children," says Bowler, who's been volunteering 24 years. "No one would have expected it. They're the lost sheep needing our attention. They need people like me and other volunteers bringing the love of Jesus to them, and then they reflect the love of Jesus back."

Jesuit Father Mike Kennedy, co-chaplain with Company of Mary Sister Claudia Romero, is celebrating the morning Mass. He has recently published "Jesus the Risen Prisoner: An Invitation to Freedom," a book of meditations (Paulist Press) to assist chaplains and volunteers in their ministry.

As the youth bow their heads, Father Kennedy, wearing a multi-colored stole, begins by inviting the teens to "ask God's forgiveness for the times we have not been sources of healing, but of violence. We pray for the people we have hurt and the people who have hurt us. We pray for families. And that God lets you see how much you're loved by Him."

During the liturgy, Father Kennedy reminds the youth and volunteers that "Jesus was a prisoner," arrested, tried in court and sentenced to death. In rising from the dead, he observes, Jesus offers all prisoners hope. "We belong to a faith community that never loses hope," adds Father Kennedy.

Among the weekly volunteers making up the Jesus the Risen Prisoner Catholic Community is Soņia Vega, who has volunteered at the prison for 12 years. The youth, she explains, "need someone to talk with. You find humans with big hearts and big feelings. They are very loyal to our prayer services. They value a lot the little we give them."

The 500 youth at Sylmar have committed crimes ranging from truancy to car theft, robbery and murder. More than 250 of them have been or are being tried as adults for serious crimes. The United States is the only country in the world, says Father Kennedy, which gives minors life sentences. Very few of these youth will ever be released from prison.

"Our job is to bring them to some type of freedom and peace and spiritual power in the midst of this," Father Kennedy says.

As the Jesuit provincial delegate for restorative justice, Father Kennedy's other ministries include prison outreach through Homeboy Industries as well as working with Jesuit institutions to explore how restorative justice can be integrated into their mission.

Following this liturgy, he celebrates another Mass with some 15 youth being housed in the maximum security area. Three mothers are present to accompany their sons --- Johnny, Elmundo and Oscar --- as the boys receive the sacraments of first Communion and confirmation. Father Kennedy also blesses their mothers with oil.

Again during the prayers of the faithful, the youth remember the victims of their crimes and pray that they are resting in peace.

Following the two liturgies, the next phase of Father Kennedy's ministry begins --- being present to distraught parents who are coming in to visit their children.

Emma de la Rosa is sobbing. One of her sons was killed three months ago on his way back from a wedding, and her other son, 17, is being kept in this Sylmar facility. He is alleged by the state as having provoked the altercation between two cars of teens and young adults that led to his brother being killed.

"Why did this happen to us? I can't understand," says de la Rosa through tears. She is a parishioner of Our Lady of Peace Church in North Hills. "I only ask Father God to release my son. Please don't blame my son. Please have mercy on him."

Raul and Carmen Garcia have two sons in prison with life sentences and three other children at home. On Sundays they take turns traveling from Ontario to Sylmar to visit one son; the following weekend they drive to Delano to visit the other son.

"We have to come to give them strength," says Carmen.

"It's hard because they are young," adds Raul. "Anyone can make a mistake in their life. But to be here their whole life?"

Carmen tells her sons to behave well in prison, to take care of themselves. Maybe one day they will get out, she says.

Despite the desperation and the impotence both of them feel, they rely on prayer to get them through. "With prayer you feel more peace," says Raul.

Editor's note: Homeboy Industries will host a book signing of Father Kennedy's new book which also features actor and social justice advocate Martin Sheen giving a special reading Oct. 4, from 5-7 p.m. Tickets are $100 and benefit Homeboy Industries' Prison Outreach Program. Information: (323) 526-1254, ext. 312.